Short, Simple and Personal reflections on the daily Holy Mass Gospel. I provide Talks and Recollections.

Quotations:

I am with you always until the end of this world - Jesus (Matthew 28:20).

Preach the Word in season and out of season reproving, rebuking or advising always with patience and providing instructions (2 Timothy 4:2).

Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you (Luke 1:30).

Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. - G. K. Chesterton

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Reflection for February 21, Saturday after Ash Wednesday Luke 5:27-32

Gospel: Luke 5:27-32

Jesus saw a tax
collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me. And
leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great
banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others
were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his
disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? Jesus
said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the
sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

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Reflection:

How do we treat
sinners? Are we quick to condemn them for who they are? Or we are patient with
them and even build bridges with them so that they would also feel the love and
forgiveness of Jesus?

When we judge
sinners we also immediately cut-off the chance for us to be an instrument of
their healing and conversion. We are also pushing them deeper into the mud of
sin. But why are we judgmental when we are sinners also? Why are we judgmental
when we are not perfect, when we too are subject to judgment?

There is a story of
a sinner who finally decided to change his ways. So he gathered enough courage
and presented himself to his parents to ask for forgiveness. But the parents
did not forgive him they instead condemned him as good for nothing and useless.

In the days that
followed they received a call that their son ended his life. If only they were
not judgmental they could have saved a life
and became an instrument of conversion. But they choose not to forgive.

When Jesus saw the
tax collector named Levi who was labelled as sinners by those who knew him.
Jesus never condemned the tax collector He instead asked Levi to follow Him and
this sinner left everything to follow Jesus. We see the beautiful result when
we don’t condemn.

In the heart of
every sinner rest a sacred place that is reserved for someone who will not
judge them. A sacred place exclusively for those who would be willing to
forgive them and help them get-up and start a new life with Jesus. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas